Canucks Reload at NHL Draft and Make Bold Offseason Moves
The Canucks leave the 2025 NHL Draft with six new prospects and one polarizing veteran in Evander Kane, but it’s Elias Pettersson’s future that could define this offseason.
NHL Draft 2025
By Troy Tyrell | WBN News Vancouver | June 19, 2025
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The Vancouver Canucks came into the 2025 NHL Entry Draft with questions swirling about their identity, cap space, and future core. They left with a promising group of young prospects, and the surprise headline-grabbing acquisition of veteran winger Evander Kane, while whispers of blockbuster trades involving Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes continue to simmer just beneath the surface.
Let’s break it all down.
🔵 Canucks Draft Six New Prospects, Add Depth and Skill
Held at LA’s Peacock Theatre from June 27–28, the 2025 NHL Draft saw the Canucks pick six players, headlined by:
15th Overall – Braeden Cootes (C)
A versatile, right-handed center from the Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL), Cootes brings elite compete level, leadership qualities, and two-way capability. A true play driver, he notched 63 points in 60 games and captained a playoff push. This is the kind of center every contending team dreams of grooming.
“He’s got that ‘it’ factor you want in a franchise player,” said Canucks’ Head Scout Todd Harvey.
Other Draft Picks:
- 47th: Aleksei Medvedev (G) – A 6'3 OHL netminder with excellent athleticism.
- 65th: Kieren Dervin (C) – Fast, creative, and relentless in transition.
- 143rd: Wilson Björck (LW) – Swedish winger with great vision and simple execution.
- 175th: Gabriel Chiarot (RW) – Physical forechecker with a deceptive release.
- 207th: Matthew Lansing (C) – Bottom-six grinder with defensive upside.
These selections reflect a philosophical pivot for Vancouver: emphasize mobility, intelligence, and compete level over raw flash.
🔁 Trade Action: Kane Comes Home, Eyes on Pettersson
The biggest shock of the week? Vancouver's June 25 trade for Evander Kane, who returns home in a deal that sent a 2025 4th-round pick to Edmonton.
Kane, now 33, brings scoring touch, sandpaper, and playoff experience, if he can stay healthy and disciplined. The Canucks are absorbing his full $5.125M cap hit.
“This is a big swing,” said one league exec. “High risk, but he could give them the edge they’ve been missing.”
That wasn’t all.
✅ Additional Moves:
- Acquired rights to Ilya Safonov (from CHI, June 28) – Big Russian center with two-way upside.
- Traded Carson Soucy to NYR (Mar 7) – Opened cap space in exchange for a 3rd-rounder.
- Earlier trade deadline shakeup included dealing J.T. Miller, Erik Brännström, and more for Filip Chytil, Marcus Pettersson, and future picks.
🧨 Trade Watch: Pettersson and Hughes in the Crosshairs?
The most gripping story might not be who arrived—but who might be leaving.
- Elias Pettersson has been the subject of intense trade rumors. His no-movement clause activates July 1, putting the pressure on management to either extend or deal the Swedish star. Word around the league is Vancouver’s patience is wearing thin.
- Meanwhile, Quinn Hughes is reportedly being courted by the New Jersey Devils, who are rumored to be dangling a top prospect, roster player, and pick to land the elite puck-moving D-man.
If either player is dealt, Vancouver's retool becomes a full-blown rebuild with franchise-altering consequences.
🔍 What This Means for the Canucks
GM Patrik Allvin and President Jim Rutherford are navigating one of the tightest salary cap crunches in team history, while trying to keep the window open. The Kane gamble, the draft class, and the looming Pettersson decision all hint at one thing:
Vancouver is all-in on change, one way or another.
📅 What to Watch Next
- July 1: Elias Pettersson’s no-move clause kicks in. If a trade is coming, it has to happen this weekend.
- Free agency opens: Expect Vancouver to pursue mid-range defensemen and a backup goalie.
- Hughes Watch: Keep eyes on the Devils, Kings, and Rangers as potential trade partners.
🔗 Sources & Additional Reading:
By Troy Tyrell, Founder of Tsquared Personal Training
WBN Contributor | Community Builder | Mountain Biker | Advocate for Local Business & Fitness
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Tags: #NHL draft 2025, #vancouver canucks, #elias pettersson trade, #evander kane trade, #braeden cootes, #nhl trade rumors, #wbn sports news #WBN News Vancouver #Troy Tyrell
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